Introduction

Throughout the semester I have strengthened my abilities to write to a particular audience, revise my writing, and develop coherence in my papers. Before this class I did not actively think about the audience I wanted to direct my writing to, but after writing the personal statement, the TELA, research review, and research proposal I understand the way writing can improve once one understands the target audience. Each assignment had somewhat of a different audience with different intellectual backgrounds and goals. For instance, the TELA forced me to write to an audience who had no previous knowledge of cancer, whereas the audience of the research review not only had prior knowledge, but also had some experience working with the subject. The Process and Rhetoric sections include first and final drafts of assignments that demonstrate my efforts to write to different audiences effectively. I revised my assignments to improve the clarity, concision, and coherence of my writing. One of my weaknesses is developing an ending that reflects the thoughts in the beginning of my writing. I revised my papers to eliminate thoughts that were either poorly developed or irrelevant to the topic of discussion. The artifacts in the Craft section show the way I strengthened my writing in an en effort to increase the flow and quality of information I presented in each assignment. This class has not only taught me ways in which to improve my writing, it has always taught me about the scientific community. The ethical practices of the scientific community are crucial in validating the work of those in the community and helping individuals establish a reputation as a member of the community. Ethics ensure that  all research and medical procedures performed are done so with the wellbeing of the public in mind. Individuals in the scientific community collaborate with one another to review each one another, which provides an opportunity to evaluate the ethical practices of those involved. After reading and discussing different ethical issues throughout history I gained a better understanding of the necessity of ethics in science and how to develop logos, ethos, and pathos in my own writing. The lessons that helped me the most in this class were on revisions, audience, and ethics because before this class I had only practiced writing scientifically in lab reports. Now I feel more capable of identifying an audience, understanding my purpose for writing, and engaging the audience with style techniques that help persuade the audience in my favor. To further improve my writing in other classes and after college, I will spend more time revising my work and asking others to review my writing.